Mary+Park

Miss Mary Park, a 24-year-old schoolteacher of Greeley, Colorado, died August 14, 1917.

Four years later, Dr. Nicholas J. Phelan was tried of murder in her death from illegal abortion, but he was acquitted by reason of insanity and sent to a mental hospital.

The next year, Mary's body was exhumed, and Dr. E.L. Willis of Denver was subsequently tried and convicted in her death. He had been party to the abortion, performed at the Colonia Hotel in Denver. Willis was sentenced to 10 - 15 years in prison for Mary's death.

Census records indicate that in 1910, Mary was living in Greeley with her parents, Albert and Helen, and her siblings, Olive and John.

Note, please, that with overall public health issues such as doctors not using proper aseptic techniques, lack of access to blood transfusions and antibiotics, and overall poor health to begin with, there was likely little difference between the performance of a legal abortion and illegal practice, and the aftercare for either type of abortion was probably equally unlikely to do the woman much, if any, good. For more information about early 20th Century abortion mortality, see [|Abortion Deaths 1910-1919].

For more on pre-legalization abortion, see [|The Bad Old Days of Abortion]

Sources:
 * "Must Serve His Sentence for Illegal Operation", //Telluride Daily Journal//, 7 May, 1923;
 * "Dr. Phelan is Soon to Face Lunacy Board", //Telluride Daily Journal//, Dec. 9, 1921;
 * "Supreme Court Upholds Murder Case Decisions", //Fort Collins Courier//, 8 May, 1923;
 * "Phelan Acquitted of Guilt for Death of Greely Girl, but is Sent to State Insane Assylum", //Fort Collins Courier//, Dec. 9, 1921

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